Behind the Red Door
by tutorgirl25
Summary: 6 years later when everyone returns, what happened to everyone?What happened to the friendship,the bond that everyone used to have?Yes,come are still togetherbut others?others haven't talked in years.Will past lovers reunite?Or leave once again?
1. Prologue

Summary: Brooke Davis lives in California, she hasn't been back home since graduation…6 years ago.

Lucas Scott lives in New York City, he goes home every once and a while to see everyone.

Nathan and Haley Scott live with James (Jimmy) in New Jersey. .

Peyton lives in Georgia with Jake.

--Enjoy!

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Brooke Davis had it all. Beauty, smarts, money, friends, a famous fiancé. She had the life every girl ever wanted. She seemed like she loved everything, and was worry free.

But sometimes looks can be deceiving, don't you think?

No one ever understood that her smile never lit up her face, or that her laughter was unfilled. No one saw behind the façade.

Brooke Davis lived in a huge mansion on the beach. She wore all designer clothes and drove a BMW. Every girl that she ever met venerated her, and ever boy wanted to steal her heart.

The one problem was that Brooke Davis was missing something very important…a piece of her heart. It was taken 6 years ago by a boy she loved dearly. A boy that now is a bestselling writer and has another girl of his own. This boy from long ago, he knew everything about Brooke. He took time to break down the wall she had carefully put up around herself. He also broke her heart by cheating on her with her best friend. Although she did start to love him again…she probably never stopped.

The day that Brooke Davis left Tree Hill that summer, everything changed. She went from high school cheerleader to famous fashion designer in months, but always keeping a place in her heart for him…..

_Lucas Scott_

It's a name that Brooke says over and over in her head. Every time she sees a bus pass on the street, his picture is on it. Every time she goes into the store, there's his bestselling book.

Now don't get me wrong, when Brooke and Lucas were together in high school, they had their hard times. They are completely opposite too. Broody and Cheery. They pushed each others buttons and piss each other off on a regular basis, but that doesn't mean they didn't love each other.

Some days, Brooke would sit and stare at Lucas' new book that sits on her nightstand. Not once though has she opened the book. There are too many memories in this book, she knows. A part of her doesn't have the courage to open up the distant memories.

Brooke Davis never moved on from Lucas Scott. She could swear that she did move on, that everything was okay. But it's not true, she just tried to bury it away. Lucas Scott still had a huge part of her heart, and Brooke doubted she would ever get it back.

----------

Haley James Scott is a very, very busy lady. She has a 6 year old boy, and a baby on the way, she is a teacher, and she makes sure there is always a nice dinner on the table when her husband gets home from work.

Haley got lucky, she met the man of her dreams when she was 16. not too many people are that lucky. Trust me, they've had some tough times, but all in all they made it through, together.

"Hales, I'm home!" she heard her husband yell from the foyer.

"In the kitchen!" she ylled to him.

As she was standing over the stove, mixing the soup in the pot, she felt arms glide around her rather large stomach, and she felt Nathan's lips on her neck and lauged.

"Honey, I'm gonna burn the chicken in the oven." She laughed.

"After dinner." Nathan told her with a smile.

"After dinner." She said, shooing him away with a laugh.

--------

Dinner was almost ready. Brooke worked so hard to make this dinner perfect for her fiancé. It was their 1 year anniversary. Brooke placed the candles outside on the table overlooking the ocean, she dimmed the lights and put on the music.

That' when the phone rang.

"Hey baby, are you almost here?" Brooke asked as soon as she picked up the phone.

"Listen babe, we got stuck here for a while. They're having some problem with the stunt guy, I won't be home until late." Ryan, Brooke's fiancé, said into the phone.

Brooke sighed, throwing down her apron "Well, what time do you think you'll--.'

"I have to go babe." Ryan said before hanging up.

Brooke tried not to cry as she fixed herself a plate and sat outside in the candlelight by herself.

--------

"Mama!" Lily called to Karen "I'm home!"

Karen walked into the living room to see her daughter, she was sweaty and her hair was everywhere, she had a basketball in her hands.

"Have fun?" Karen asked her daughter, laughing.

Lily nodded happily.

"Where's your brother?" Karen asked

Lily turned around and pointed outside to Lucas, who was walking in slowly.

"I forgot I wasn't 17 anymore." Lucas said, walking into his mother's house.

"You're old!" Lily yelled to him.

Lucas smiled "Oh yea? Well you better run!"

Lily screamed as her brother picked her up and tickled her, throwing her on the couch.

"I give up!" Lily yelled through laughter.

"Say 'My big brother is not old'" Lucas told her, laughing.

"My brother is not----old-----and I love him---soooooo much!" she yelled as Lucas let go.

Lily was still laughing when Lucas followed Karen into the kitchen to help her with dinner.

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Nathan, Haley, and Jimmy sat down for dinner.

"I made a three pointer Mom!" Jimmy beamed.

"Honey, that's great!" Haley told her son as she put broccoli on his plate.

Jimmy frowned "Doesn't that mean I don't need any broccoli?"

"I don't think so." Haley said with a smile.

"Nice try." Nathan nudged his son.

The phone rang and Nathan picked it up. A few mumbled words were said, and he hung up.

"Who was that?" Haley asked

"It was Luke." Nathan told her "Whitey didn't make it. The funeral is Saturday."

------

"Hello?" Brooke answered her phone.

"Hey Tigger." Haley said.

"Tutorgirl! What are you doing?" Brooke asked, happy her friend called.

"Well, I don't have the best news, Whitey died yesterday, he had a heart attack." Haley told her sadly.

Brooke's day just wasn't going well at all "When is the funeral?"

"Saturday." Haley told her.

"I'll be there." Brooke said

"You're coming home?" Haley asked happily.

"Whitey did a lot for us, he was an amazing person and taught us so much. I have to come." Brooke told her, hanging up.

Haley put down the phone and sat on the couch, then it hit her.

Everyone would be home on Saturday, they would all be together again for the first time since graduation.


	2. How Much Do You Love Me?

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Brooke sat on the beach, waiting for her limo to bring her to the airport. She thought about the last time she saw Lucas Scott:

"_Brooke..." He said as he opened the red door that he painted for her._

_Brooke was sitting on her bed, packing the last of her things in the big suitcase._

_He pulled her into a tight hug, a hug neither of them wanted to end. And before she knew it, he kissed her._

"_I wanna be with you Brooke." He told her, as she looked into his piercing blue eyes._

"_What?"_

"_I know we're only friends, but I love you." _

_She wanted to believe him, but there was too much going on with all the Peyton stuff._

_He tried to find the right words, but then the taxi honked, signaling that Brooke had to leave Tree Hill for good._

"_Why Lucas, why now, I'm leaving for good and we may not see each other for a long time…so why?" she asked, suitcases in her hands._

"_Because I want you to be with me the rest of my life." He whispered, thinking she could probably hear his heart breaking._

"_I'm sorry Lucas. I have to go." Brooke said, walking out the red door and to the taxi, trying not to let a tear fall._

_Lucas sat on her bed with a picture of the two of them in his hands._

_Why is he always a moment to late?_

A few hours later, Brooke was on her way to Tree Hill. A place she hasn't been in 6 years.

Brooke took out her cell phone to call Haley.

"Brooke!" Haley answered the phone and Brooke smiled, she couldn't wait to see her best friend again

"Tutorgirl, I just landed I'll be there in an hour." Brooke said happily.

Haley squealed "Ahh I'm so excited!"

"Me too Hales. Me too." Brooke said with a smile, hanging up the phone.

Brooke walked over to the luggage claim but stopped a few steps later, looking at the tall boy standing before her.

She looked him in the eyes for the first time in six years…six whole years. She could scarcely breathe. For a few seconds, she saw the boy she fell in love with in the first place, it was in his eyes. Then the vision vanished and she became angry, recalling how badly he had hurt her.

"Lucas." She barely got the name out.

Before Lucas could say anything, a blonde girl popped out of nowhere

"You're Brooke Davis!" she said happily.

Brooke put on a fake smile and offered her hand to the girl.

"I'm Emily!" the girl said very cheerfully, even for Brooke.

"Nice to meet you Emily." Brooke said politely.

"I loveeeeee your designs." Emily went on but Brooke's eyes stayed fixed on Lucas'.

"Oh." Emily said, noticing where Brooke was staring "This is my fiancé Lucas."

Brooke tried to keep in the tears "We've met" she said bitterly.

"You didn't tell me you knew Brooke Davis!" Emily said to Lucas, nudging him on the arm.

Lucas tried not to look Brooke in the eye "Yea, we've met before." He said, offering his hand like he was just meeting a stranger.

"There's my luggage!" Emily said, walking….well, frolicking, over to the luggage claim. Leaving Brooke and Lucas standing there in silence.

"Are you going to the---." Lucas started

"Funeral? Yea." Brooke finished.

Another few seconds of silence.

"Congratulations on your engagement." Brooke said to him, trying not to say anything else.

"Yea, you too." He told her, motioning to the ring on her finger which she covered quickly with her other hand.

"You look great Brooke." He said quietly.

"Thanks." Brooke said politely "You do too….It's been a long time."

"Six years. It's hard to believe." Lucas said as Emily ran up behind him.

"Lucassss!" she cheerfully said "Ready to go?"

Lucas smiled and took Emily's hand.

"It was sooooo great meeting you Ms. Davis!" Emily said before pulling Lucas away. Lucas turned and smiled one last time as Brooke called her limo.

--------

"Jimmy, sweetheart." Haley yelled outside "Come in and get changed! Dinner's in 15 minutes."

"Coming mom!" Jimmy said, running inside.

The door opened a few minutes later and Haley turned around, looking at the girl standing in front of her…her best friend.

"Brooke!" she yelled, running over to her.

"Oh Tutorgirl!" Brooke said, hugging her tight "You look great!"

Haley smiled, letting the tears fall off her face "You too." Haley pulled away and took a good look at Brooke "God, look at you. You look wonderful Brooke!"

Brooke put her hand on Haley's large stomach "You do too! I can't believe I'm here!"

"Me neither." Haley said, pulling her into the dining room where dinner was already on the table.  
A few minutes later, Nathan walked in the dining room and Brooke jumped up.

"Nate!" she said happily, hugging him tight

"Brooke, I missed you!" Nathan whispered happily in her ear.

"You have no idea." She whispered back.

When they pulled away, Brooke looked at the doorway, where Lucas and Emily were standing.

"Hey stranger." Haley said, getting up to give Lucas and Emily a hug.

"Hey Brooke." Lucas said.

"Brooke Davis!" Emily yelled once again as Brooke tried to control her smirk…wondering why Lucas fell for her.

Haley gave Brooke a look and they sat down at the table.

"Where's Jimmy and Lily?" Haley asked Nathan after they all sat down.

"Here!" Jimmy and Lily ran in the dining room and sat down across from Brooke. Brooke looked down at the little boy that looked exactly like Nathan, and the little girl who looked just like Karen.

"Oh Jimmy, look at you! You got so big. You too Lily!" Brooke said, wiping the tear from her cheek and embracing the kids.

"I'm 6!" Jimmy said happily.

"Me too!" Lily smiled

"Jimmy honey, this is Brooke, she's your godmother." Haley explained.

"Do you like basketball?" was the first thing Jimmy asked.

Brooke laughed "I can learn to if you want me too."

Then Haley turned to Lily "Lily." Haley said "This is Brooke."

"You're pretty." Lily smiled.

"Thank you Lily." Brooke said, "You look just like your Mommy you know."

Lily took a good look at Brooke "I know you. You're in the pictures on the wall."

Brooke smiled and looked at Haley.

"From high school." Haley explained.

Brooke nodded and turned back to Lily "Yea, I am Lily."

"You and Luke were hugging!" Lily recalled the pictures "And then some of them were of you and Aunt Haley, and you and Uncle Nate. But mostly you and Luke. Luke said you were his other pretty girl. Because I'm Luke's pretty girl too!" she explained.

The whole room became silent and Lucas cleared his throat.

"The chicken should be done." Haley said quickly "Brooke, can you help me?" Haley knew Brooke needed to get out of that room.

"I'm so sorry." Haley said as soon as her and Brooke got into the kitchen.

After dinner, Lily asked Emily to go out back with her and Jimmy. So in the kitchen, it was Nathan, Haley, Lucas, and Brooke.

Brooke and Lucas were avoiding each other the whole night.

"Remember our graduation party?" Nathan asked, starting a conversation.

Brooke smiled "That was a great night."

Haley nodded in agreement.

"We were all so happy." Brooke recalled.

Lucas turned to the three others, standing in front of him "That was the night Brooke told me she'd love me forever. And that's we'd always be together." He said in a cruel voice "Then she left a few weeks later."

"Lucas!" Haley and Nathan yelled at the same time, seeing the tears in Brooke's eyes.

"Brooke!" Lily came in, tugging at Brooke's arm, motioning for her to help her on the chair that Brooke was leaning on.

"I like your necklace!" Lily said, looking at Brooke.

"Thank you sweetheart." Brooke said, trying not to let everyone hear the pain in her voice.

Every time Lucas tried to look at Brooke, she turned away. He knew he crossed the line way to far, but it just came out…and it was true I guess.

Later that night, Lily asked her mom if she could stay over Nathan and Haley's. So, Brooke lay in the guest room with a 6 year old on the other bed.

"Why don't you love Luke anymore?" Lily asked innocently.

Brooke sighed and sat on the other bed next to Lily "Oh, I still love him Lily, and I always will. But sometimes it's just not meant to be."

Lily turned to Brooke and smiled "Well, Luke still loves you."

Brooke laughed "What makes you say that?"

"Even if he pretends to be mean, but he really loves you. You can see it when he looks at you." Lily told her.

"Lily, Luke is getting married soon, he loves Emily." Brooke reminded her, still wondering why she was talking to a six year old about this.

"But I think you and Luke should get married." Lily said, sitting up in bed.

"I guess it wasn't meant to be." Brooke said again.

"Maybe it is though." Lily pointed out before lying back down and closing her eyes.

Brooke got off of the bed and walked out to get a glass of water, when she walked to the door of the room, she was startled by the man standing in the doorway.

Brooke let out a gasp "Lucas….I didn't know you were still here."

"I was out back with Nathan. I came to say goodnight to Lily. I'm…I'm sorry about what I said before, it wasn't my place." Lucas said to her as she moved further out the door.

"No, it was. You were right." Brooke told him quietly.

Lucas leaned in the door "Goodnight pretty girl." He whispered.

Brooke almost turned around, before remembering she wasn't his pretty girl anymore, and Lily sat up.

"Luke!" she said happily.

"Hey Lils, I just wanted to say goodnight." He said, walking in the room.

"Read to me! Brooke, you too!" Lily practically demanded.

"She's pretty bossy." Lucas explained with a smile "Not the only bossy brunette I know."

"I'm not bossy!" Lily exclaimed.

"Me neither!" Brooke agreed like a six year old.

"Lay with me!" Lily said to both of them.

Brooke and Lucas, not wanting to upset her, climbed into the small bed, all crammed up under the covers, just like Lily wanted.

Lily held the book and motioned for Lucas to read

"Guess how much I love you?" he began…reading the whole story from start to finish.

"How much do you love me?" Lily asked in a sleepy voice.

"Sooooooo much." Lucas said, emphasizing the words.

"How much do you love Mommy?" Lily asked.

"Soooooo much." Lucas repeated, making Lily smile.

"How much do you love Brooke?" Lily asked

Lucas looked into Brooke's eyes for the first time since they were at the airport. Brooke couldn't take the pain anymore. She stood up and walked out of the room.

-------


	3. Because

"I was so stupid." Brooke said to Haley, catching her off-guard.

Lucas and Nathan took the kids to the River Court so Haley and Brooke were by themselves.

"Why?" Haley asked

"For leaving. I mean, why did I think I could find something better out there?" Brooke asked.

"It's about Lucas, huh?"

Brooke nodded.

"Do you still love him?" Haley asked, already knowing the answer

Brooke closed her eyes and put her head in her hands, before nodding her head "But I'm getting married soon Haley. Lucas is too. If I didn't walk away…."

"He was a mess." Haley told her "After you left he was so upset for weeks….actually months. He changed after you left Brooke, and I think a part of you is still in his heart….i know it. You just have to find a way to get in there."

Nathan walked in with Lucas and the kids trailing behind him. Nathan walked to the fridge and opened it up as Brooke helped Lily get on the stool.

"I have pie!" Nathan told Lily and Jimmy.

"Yay! Pie!" Lily….and Brooke squealed happily. Making Haley and Nathan, even Lucas, laugh.

Nathan cut up 5 pieces of pie and handed them to everyone. Brooke finished hers quickly and walked casually over to Nathan. Nathan turned around to tell Lucas something, and when he turned back to the dessert, his piece was gone.

Lily and Jimmy were laughing "Who took my pie?"

Lily and Jimmy pointed at each other, but Nathan turned to Brooke, who was happily eating her pie….well technically Nathan's pie.

"Brooke!"

"Your piece was bigger." She whined, making everyone laugh harder.

------------

Later on that night, after dinner, Brooke was outside, and Lucas came out after her.

"Can we talk?" he asked.

Brooke stood still for a seconds, but agreed

"Brooke, I'm sorry I have been so rude to you." Lucas apologized.

"You must hate me." She said "For leaving."

"I could never hate you." He managed to smile a little "I just didn't expect you to come back. My heart wasn't exactly ready for that."

"I know what you mean." She said with a smile "You know, I never left because I didn't love you….because I did….I do."

They both sat there for a few minutes, thinking about the past.

"Do you think we'll ever be able to get past it and move on?" she asked him truthfully.

"Maybe not today…or tomorrow. But someday we will." Lucas said.

Brooke stood up off the bench and walked to the doorstep…Lucas followed.

"Goodnight Lucas." Brooke said quietly, hoping he couldn't hear the pain she was trying to hide in her voice.

"Goodnight...Pretty girl." Lucas turned away, but not before seeing her dimpled smile light up.

The next morning, Haley opened the door, still in her nightclothes with her hands rested on her large stomach. When she looked up at the man standing in front of her, she gasped. Here she was, in her nightclothes, with a world-famous actor standing at her doorstep.

"Um, hi." She said with a smile of curiosity "I'm guessing you're looking for Brooke."

"Yea, is she here?" the man, Ryan, asked.

"I'll get her." Haley grunted, unusually upset with Ryan's cruel tone.

"Brooke, your finance's here." Haley knocked on the door and Brooke jumped up.

"What? It's…" Brooke looked at her phone "6:30 in the morning!"

"Yea, I noticed." Haley said as Brooke walked to the front door.

"Ryan?" she asked…not as happily as Ryan expected "What are you doing here?"

"What do you think baby, I came to see you." Ryan said, wrapping his arms around Brooke, who didn't seem very pleased "Baby, what's wrong."

"You could've called." Brooke told him "Instead of showing up here at 6:30 in the morning."

Ryan put on a cocky smile and Haley forced herself not to laugh at his cockiness "But I wanted to see you."

Brooke turned on her heel "So you've said."

Haley got dressed and got Ryan a cup of coffee. An hour later, Lucas walked in the door and saw the unfamiliar man in the living room.

"Hi." Ryan said, standing up to shake Lucas' hand, thinking that everyone knows who he is.

"Lucas." Lucas told him, shaking his hand "And you are….?"

Ryan raised his eyebrows "Ryan."

Lucas still looked confused.

"Brooke Davis' fiancé" Ryan explained.

Lucas felt his stomach drop "Right." He said before walking into the kitchen where Haley was standing.

"I'm always a minute too late, aren't I?" he asked Haley, sitting at the counter.

"What do you mean?" Haley asked, handing him coffee.

"I mean." Lucas whispered "That Brooke and I made up last night. And now he's here!" Lucas pointed to the living room where Ryan was sitting.

"Oh Luke, I'm sorry." Haley said sadly, truly upset for her friend "Where's Emily?"

"She had to go home until tomorrow." Lucas told her.

That whole day, Lucas tried not to look at Ryan and Brooke together. But truthfully, Brooke didn't seem like she wanted him there either.

"I'm getting tired Ryan." Brooke said around 8:00.

"Okay…." Ryan said, wondering where he was going to sleep.

"There's a motel down the street, I'll call you in the morning." Brooke said politely, kissing him lightly on the cheek.

Ryan sighed "Bye baby."

Ryan walked out the door and Lucas finally took a deep breath, at least Ryan was gone.

"Brooke." Lucas said, walking into where Brooke was standing "Would you wanna go grab a drink?"

Brooke smiled "I need that."

Brooke and Lucas went to a bar and sat down, making small talk most of the time, but they were both happy they were on good terms. After one drink, then another, they finally walked back to Nathan and Haley's.

"You wanna come over? My mom is away until the morning?" Lucas asked as they walked to the driveway.

"Sure. Just for a few minutes." Brooke said, following Lucas inside the house that she knew so well.

Brooke walked right into Lucas' room and sat on the bed. When Lucas walked in behind her, she smiled "Wow, this place has a lot of memories."

"Yea, it does."

"It still looks the same."

"I didn't wanna change it around." Lucas said, sitting on the bed next to her.

"Did I tell you I missed you?" Brooke asked quietly, looking him in his blue eyes.

"I missed you too Brooke." Lucas said "Everyday. I still do."

"Me too."

Lucas lifted his hand took Brooke's face as she smiled, it was the moment that he looked like he really needed her. Then he kissed her, not a small kiss, but a big passionate kiss. Brooke felt as if though everything around her was hazy and she only focused on him. It was then that they both realized that this is the person they should be kissing for the rest of their life, so they kissed even more passionately, so happy that they found this person, yet so scared they will disappear again.

"I missed you so much Pretty girl." He said, taking off her shirt.

"I missed you too Broody." She told him, not taking her eyes off of his.

---------

"Damn it." Brooke whispered, getting out of bed with the sheet still wrapped around her.

She didn't mean for it to go that far….really she didn't.

Lucas sat up in bed and looked around, also comprehending what they did last night. Brooke ran around the bedroom and picked up her clothes, slipping them on while still under the sheets. Lucas got out of bed and put his boxers on, walking over to Brooke.

"Stop!" she said simply, putting her hands over her eyes "This wasn't supposed to go this far. Put your shorts on." She demanded.

Lucas smiled and put on his shorts "There.' he said.

"Lucas! Stop smiling! We did something really, really bad last night! We're both getting married soon. This wasn't right." Brooke told him angrily.

Lucas thought about what she said for a moment "Then why'd we do it?"

"Well……" she paused "Because.'

"Because?"

"Yes! Because." Brooke stated.

"That's not a reason." He told her.

"We did it because…….." she didn't want to say it.

So Lucas did "You wanted that piece of your heart back…..so did I."

Brooke sighed "Well, I think that just made matters worse Lucas Scott! We just cheated on our fiancés!"

Brooke turned on her heel and started to walk out of the room.

"Brooke, c'mon! Don't walk out!" Lucas walked after her.

She didn't turn around.

"Brooke Penelope Davis!" he said louder "Come here!"

"Ohhhhh no." Brooke walked over to him and pointed her finger in his face "Don't' you middle name me!"

"I can if I want to." He snapped.

"No, you can't." she snapped back.

"Why?"

"Because….."

"There you go again."

"Because…" Brooke tried to get it out "Because I still love you!" she yelled "Everyday I think about you, and I think about what we could've had. And I wonder if there's ever gonna be a chance to be with you again….then I remember I'm getting married…and it's not to you, and I get upset that it's not you. And I don't think that's supposed to happen. I want someone like Lucas Scott, that knows everything about me…every little secret…everything I've ever done, and he still loves me! Because right now, I don't have that. I wish I could have you back, because I want someone to love me as much as I love him! I want someone who, at the end of the day, when he has all his options open, he wants me….and only me." She took a breath as the tears fell "And I knew you'd give me that Lucas Scott. I know you'd love me forever, because you're the one for me. And I know it's not gonna be easy, and we're gonna work at it. But I also know that we can do it together----And I can't believe I just told you that because it probably doesn't even matter to you, but it matters to me."

Lucas didn't say a word; he just stared at the girl in front of him.


	4. The Pieces Don't Fit

Finally, he walked closer to her "That was a lot of because's" he said with a smile "But I'm so glad you said them." He kissed her slowly.

"I love you Broody." She said quietly.

"I love you too Pretty Girl." Lucas said "I always will, we'll be together until the end of time."

Brooke walked in the door to Haley, with Lucas trailing a few feet behind her.

"Brooke?" Haley asked with a smile "Where were you last night?"

"I was….tired." Brooke started, thinking something up "And I….didn't feel like coming all the way here. So I slept at Lucas'."

"Brooke." Haley grinned "We live right across the street."

Brooke just smiled at Haley, who smiled right back at her "We were…..busy."

Haley laughed at her two best friends, then remembered "Um, your fiancés stopped over, they're in the living room."

"Shit.' Brooke said, walking in first.

"Brooke!" Ryan said standing up "Where were you?"

"I went out early this morning. Sorry I didn't call." Brooke lied.

Emily got up and walked into the kitchen where Lucas was, and Brooke went on "Ry, can we go outside and talk?"

Ryan agreed and followed Brooke into the backyard.

"Ryan." Brooke started, taking a deep breath "I think….that we should postpone the wedding."

Ryan got mad "What? Why the hell would you want to postpone the wedding?"

Brooke kept her temper "Well not really postpone….."

"You want to break up?" Ryan asked

Brooke looked at her feet and nodded "I just think we'd be better off."

The next thing Brooke knew, her face was burning.

Ryan towered over her, and as soon as he turned to leave, he got punched in the jaw.

Brooke ran over to Lucas and Ryan, who were now rolling around on the ground fighting.

"Stop it!" she said, when they didn't stop, she yelled louder "Lucas! Ryan! Stop! Now!"

With that, the two boys stopped fighting and got to their feet, Lucas wiping blood from his lip.

"Ryan, leave." Brooke said sternly, after he left, Brooke walked inside and Lucas followed "I'll get you some ice." She mumbled.

Lucas followed Brooke into the kitchen, and she handed him an ice pack.

"Is your face okay?" he asked.

Brooke nodded "He really didn't hit me heard. It's fine."

"Sorry I hit him. I just don't want anyone to hurt you." He told her.

"I know." She said quickly "Where's Emily?"

"In the living room still. Haley and Nathan ran out" Lucas sighed "I better tell her."

"Lucas!" Emily said "What happened to you?" she was still smiling though.

"Nothing." He told her "Can we talk about that wedding?"

"What honey? I already picked the color of the flowers! I love the white roses and I guess we can-----."

"I don't want to get married." Lucas said.

"What?"

"Well, to you anyways. Look Emily, I thought that I could give my heart to someone else, but there's only one place my heart belongs, and that's with Brooke." Lucas said to her.

Emily stood up and smirked at Lucas, before smacking him, grunting, and walking out the door….oh, and not before stepping on his foot with her heel.

Brooke leaned against the doorway and leered.

"What's so funny?" he asked, as she walked over towards him.

"You just got punched and slapped and your foot stepped on." She informed him like he didn't already realize it.

"And….?"

"And you did it all for me." Brooke smiled.

"That's because you're my pretty girl, and I love you." Lucas told her before kissing her.

"Brooooooooke!" Nathan yelled from the front door "Lucassss!"

"What?" Brooke and Lucas jumped up

"Haley's in labor!" Nathan said.

Brooke and Lucas dropped Jimmy off at Karen's and went over to the hospital. When they got to the waiting room, it was hours before Nathan came out.

"How is she?" Brooke jumped up

"She wants you two in the room, the baby's almost here." Nathan said happily as Brooke and Lucas followed him into the hospital room.

"Brooke!" Haley yelled as soon as Brooke walked over to the bed.

"Tutorgirl, you're doing so great!" Brooke said happily as another contraction came.

A few minutes later, they heard a baby cry "It's a boy!"

Brooke and Lucas left for a moment to give Haley and Nathan alone time.

"I'm so happy for them." Brooke told Lucas out in the waiting room.

"Me too." Lucas agreed.

When Nathan came back out, he looked much more relaxed.

"What's his name?" Brooke asked

Nathan smiled proudly "Cole Jacob Scott."

"Awwww! He's so cute Nate!" Brooke said from the window of the hospital room.

Nathan smiled and walked back in the room to his wife and new son. A few minutes later, Karen came and Jimmy ran in with his parents and little brother.

Brooke and Lucas stood a few inches apart, staring in the window at the happy family, their hearts yearning for something like that.

--------

Brooke and Lucas went back to Karen's house for dinner, when they were sitting outback, watching Lily play basketball, Brooke's cell phone rang.

Brooke sighed and put the phone to her ear "Hello?" words were mumbled for a few moments, and Brooke closed the phone, her eyes looking down at the ground.

"Who was it?" Lucas asked

"I….I need to go back to California tonight." Brooke told him.

"I thought we had another week together?" Lucas asked.

Brooke felt the tears in her eyes "Me too. But they need me back for a really important shoot."

"Damn it." Lucas mumbled.

"I'm so sorry Lucas." Brooke said truthfully.

Lucas stood up "Yea, me too. I mean, I missed you so much Brooke, and I love you, I always will. But the past few days I chose not to remember that in another few days we'll have to go back to our normal lives."

Brooke didn't know what to say "I better go pack my bags." She said, walking quickly across the street and back to Nathan and Haley's in the pouring rain.

Brooke left Haley and Nathan a note and called the limo. Just as the limo was pulling up, and Brooke was walking to the car, Lucas ran out of the house.

"Brooke!" he yelled loudly "Brooke, wait!"

'_I love him.' _Brooke told herself _'But it's not gonna work.' _Why didn't she figure that out before?

"Brooke, please!" Lucas begged as Brooke stepped into the limo and shut the door. Lucas ran up and tapped on the window, so she rolled it down.

"Brooke, please don't leave." He pleaded.

"Luke, I love you. " Brooke said quietl.

Lucas stood in the rain. This moment, this unrelenting pain. Just as the limo is about to pull away, he calls out to her "I'm sorry." He should've said something more, something a little better then that. Something that was actually true. Because honestly? He wasn't sorry, not at all. He wouldn't take back a single moment with her for anything. He things of the distant memories, starting to fade away over the weeks…months….years.

Brooke sat in the limo, tears rolling down her cheeks "The pieces just don't fit anymore." She told herself, trying with all her heart to believe it.


End file.
